A local ownership consortium is stepping up to the plate in a bid to bring professional baseball back to the capital for the 2014 season.

Patrick McGarry, partner with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Funeral Homes, confirmed Wednesday he is a member of a small group of “recognizable names” in the community that has been holding talks to raise the 30% share required by the Eastern League to relocate the Double-A Binghamton Mets to Ottawa Stadium.

Whether the group, comprised of as many as 20 members of the local business community, will be able to raise enough its share of the reported $17-million franchise purchase price — or about $5 million in capital — is another question.

The push to purchase the struggling New York Mets affiliate hit a snag, with Nolan Ryan’s Ryan-Sanders Entertainment group reportedly pulling out of the deal this week.

Local ownership is believed to be another major sticking point in negotiations, as the major players were initially hoping to finalize the deal this week at the winter meetings in Nashville. Mayor Jim Watson said last week the date has been extended into the first quarter of 2013.

The presence of local owners — one of the key stipulations laid out by Eastern League president Joe McEacharn — could be something of a breakthrough in the process.

“We’ve done our due diligence and said we’d be interested. The numbers haven’t been finalized, but we would have significant interest,” said McGarry, 42, who said the group presently has about 20 partners who have each been asked to contribute.

There is one “lead person” who has been in talks with the city, though McGarry declined to identify any other partners within the group, saying members have been “keeping our names private” during the ongoing negotiations.

If local ownership is secured, it would still leave Boston-based Beacon Sports Capital Partners, the main power brokers negotiating the sale and transfer of the B-Mets, looking for an American-based majority owner to pinch hit for Nolan Ryan’s aborted ownership bid.

A source close to the negotiations said Beacon has “a group of people who have indicated at one time or another that, ‘If an opportunity comes your way, let us know, because we’ll look at anything and everything.’ ”

Beacon COO Richard Billings is attending the winter meetings and was unavailable for comment.

McGarry said one of the most exciting incentives for the potential owners would be an affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays, who are aligned with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats through 2014. Binghamton Mets president Michael Urda — who has vehemently denied his team is for sale — recently extended his partnership with the New York Mets for four more years.

A swap of affiliations remains a possibility as negotiations proceed.

“I remember going to the old Lynx games and the excitement baseball generated in the community,” said McGarry. “(CFL) football is going to be back, and (baseball) is more of a family-oriented venue. It’s a shame to have such a beautiful ball park sitting there not being used.”

Ottawa consortium looks to be part of ownership group for Double-A baseball team in capital

A local ownership consortium is stepping up to the plate in a bid to bring professional baseball back to the capital for the 2014 season.

Patrick McGarry, partner with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Funeral Homes, confirmed Wednesday he is a member of a small group of “recognizable names” in the community that has been holding talks to raise the 30% share required by the Eastern League to relocate the Double-A Binghamton Mets to Ottawa Stadium.

Whether the group, comprised of as many as 20 members of the local business community, will be able to raise enough its share of the reported $17-million franchise purchase price — or about $5 million in capital — is another question.